Andrew Little is standing for Wellington mayor in the local body elections. Photo: Aotearoa Media Collective
The Labour Party's candidate for Wellington mayor says it would be unethical for the current council to sign any more contracts for a major construction project.
Initial work on the city's Golden Mile upgrade programme began earlier this month, which will ultimately see wider footpaths, a cycle lane and cars to be removed during the day between Lambton Quay and Courtenay Place.
The project has been controversial, as some businesses do not support it.
Andrew Little told Nine to Noon he'd be disappointed to see the council march ahead with the plan, given local body elections are to be held in October.
"I'd expect the mayor and current council to read the room, frankly. This is a city, a central city, and central city business leaders are really under the pump at the moment.
"The one thing they don't want is more disruption."
He said he'd repeat his message to the council - asking them to pause on signing more work contracts for the Golden Mile.
"Given that there is going to be a change of mayor after 11 October - and there'll be a new line-up in council - I don't think it's ethically correct for this council to be signing off significant new contracts that will bind the next council at a time when things are so sensitive for the Wellington economy."
Mock up of Courtney Place. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Speaking to Kathryn Ryan, Little said he decided to enter the mayoral race after the "crescendo of voices" asking him to consider it, became too hard to ignore.
Citing his history as a former MP and Labour Party leader, he said he had the skills to address the cultural issues he perceived at the council and unify it.
"Of course, I'm going to say, 'Yep I can talk to anybody and bring people together', but that's actually my track record.
"I took a pretty divided caucus, Labour caucus in 2014, and brought that together."
Little also believed there was an issue of transparency between council staff and elected members that needed to fixed.
"The issue in Wellington City Council seems to me, is a cultural issue. There are some people who decide that - for whatever reason - they can control or limit or manage the information that goes to councillors.
"That's my perception from the outside, and that has got to change."
He said the mayor not only led the councillors, but had to work with the chief executive to ensure that councillors had all the information they needed when making decisions.
His priority, if he were to become mayor, would be to accelerate high density housing developments by removing council red tape, he said.
"The hurdles that council have put in place have made it harder, and we've got to find a way... to make it easier, to get those developments going."
Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has fired back, saying any delay to the project would almost certainly increase costs and impact rates.
"I'm sure any candidate claiming fiscal responsibility would understand why that isn't a good idea."
She said the project had been given the green-light, and it appeared Little did not understand council process.
"The council has already approved the much-needed Courtenay Place regeneration project, and we are right to progress with it.
"Funding has been agreed with NZTA and a contract has been signed, and work is already underway on the first stage of the upgrade. That decision was made by a majority of the council, not just me, Whanau said.
She said while candidates could have their own views, they did not have the mandate to demand that the council pause any "democratically agreed-upon projects".
She said since 2016, Wellingtonians had asked for more pedestrian spaces and better public transport - and the Golden Mile project would deliver it.
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